"NOT MY CUP OF TEA." That was how Annika had replied to Maeve's proposal regarding clubbing, undoubtedly worried about all things so irrationally wild and extreme. Yet, proof of Maeve's excellent skill of persuasion, on a seemingly regular Thursday night Annika found herself standing in a tight dress in what had to be L.A's most irrationally wild and extreme club. The EDM songs playing at deafening volume along with the flickering lights illuminating the sweaty crowd was like nothing she had ever experienced — the last party she could remember participating in was probably a meeting with her former book club.

    So, perhaps Maeve hadn't been too far off calling her a square and effectively coaxing her into agreeing with her plans for the night.

    As she watched the dancers move like puppets to the beat of the music, Annika couldn't help but think about the person calling the shots. She wasn't referring to the DJ, more so to the owner of the club whom she had never met but most certainly spotted on the headlines of several magazines. Lucifer Morningstar was a name that had crossed most people's thoughts, and while that hadn't applied to Annika too much, she couldn't deny the curiosity in her wandering stare now, nor the hope igniting in her heart as she roamed the club by herself.

    However, even if she could not find Lucifer, Lucifer could find her. The man was sitting by his piano, his infamous smirk twisting his lips in mischief as he observed the woman sauntering by her lonesome, looking beyond gorgeous but awfully misplaced in his house of hunger and greed. And frankly, with only a single stare directed at Annika, he felt the burning desire to help her ease into the atmosphere fill his chest to the point where he was turning to his trusted demon.

    "Mazey, won't you be a good demon and deliver that fetching brunette a drink?" Lucifer hummed over to his right-hand woman in a tone that remained charming but left little space to argue, even with the delicious grin stretching his lips. Mirroring the expression, Mazikeen swiftly grabbed a glass and a bottle of alcohol to pour before flashing one more look to Lucifer and then strutting from behind the bar and towards Annika.

    To say that the Hayden was startled to feel a finger tap on her shoulder would have been an understatement, and with widening eyes, Annika spun on her heel only to come face to face with the stunning woman. Rendered speechless at the sight of the gorgeous bartender with a drink she was handing over to Annika, the latter forgot to calculate in stranger danger and simply accepted the glass with a confused frown etched onto her face.

    "From Lucifer", Maze clarified with a smirk before turning on her heel and strutting away with sass and confidence, holding Annika's bewildered attention until the words registered in her head fully. Only then she realized to look around to find the mentioned man — and this time, her search was a success, and a gush of red delved into her cheeks as soon as she locked eyes with the one and only Lucifer Morningstar. Once he was waving his fingers in the air and shooting an irresistible smile at Annika, the woman could thank her luck for not choking on the drink she was drawing a careful sip from, not sure what had gotten into her. She did, after all, have work tomorrow.

    Taking in a deep breath, Annika thought of Maeve's comment, how she was a square, and how she definitely didn't want to be one. So, taking a chance, she shook her hair off of her shoulders, cleared her throat and waltzed over to Lucifer with a proper introduction locked and loaded on the tip of her tongue. Concluding from the pleased look crossing Lucifer's face, the goal he had sought by sending Annika the drink was fulfilled the second she wound up standing by his piano with a soft smile.

    "Why, hello there. Did my Father send you? Because you certainly look like an angel", Lucifer teased with an evidently flirtatious tone, sending a shiver down Annika's spine as a chuckle climbed up her throat. With that thrilling accent, even the lousiest pick-up lines became swoon-worthy, and Annika couldn't hold back a lingering gaze as she leaned against the piano and put her drink down in the process.

    "Funny, but actually, my friend Maeve dragged me here", she corrected before sinking down onto the empty seat next to Lucifer with her teeth grinding against her lip. If only the aforementioned friend could see her now.

    With a gentle gasp, Lucifer broke into a laugh. "Maeve, eh?" he pronounced the name in a way that sounded much better coming from him, confirming that Annika could not say for sure that the two had never crossed paths before. Before she could ask, however, Lucifer was looking down at where his fingers rested and then glanced back at Annika with a new, improved smile. "Do you play?" was his simple question before cracking his knuckles and tauntingly whipping together a few familiar tunes Annika recognized effortlessly.

    Suddenly tempted to flaunt with her own skills, Annika set her fingers next to Lucifer's in a way that left them brushing together before she poked the keys like she was used to. "I do", she confirmed, "the kids love it." Those very words caught Lucifer off-guard, and when she faced him once again, she found him staring back in surprise and mild horror, pulling a quiet laugh from her.

    "You have children?" he questioned with dread he couldn't hide very well, especially not when the disgust twisted his features into a full-blown grimace —  as if he was reconsidering his choice to invite Annika into his company. After hearing about kids, the temptation that she had invoked in him no longer burned as bright and eager.

    Luckily, Annika's amused snort offered Lucifer the relief he had hoped to feel, as did the shake of her head. "No, none of my own. I'm a teacher, so... I work with kids every day", she elaborated with a warm smile, the kind that proved she was truly happy with her choice of career — and gladly, Lucifer repeated her expression back to her.

    Now that he knew Annika didn't have any children of her own, as well as the lack of company or mentions of a significant other, encouragement was swinging at his chest yet again. "Just a lonely little angel who wandered in for some fun, then?" Lucifer suggested, clearly hellbent on sticking with the angelic compliments, earning a playful roll of eyes from Annika. Though, to be fair, Lucifer wasn't all flirting and joking, as angels were a genuine threat to him, especially when it came to Amenadiel. Therefore, if Annika happened to be there to pressure him into going back to Hell, as well, he'd have a lot more to worry about than just small humans.

    "Sorry to disappoint, but just me. What's that, anyway, what's your deal? If I'm an angel, who are you supposed to be?" Annika inquired with her interest in Lucifer going beyond the physical kind. She had always had the talent of seeing the good even in bad people, as well as the ability to get to people with sincere care and comfort ready to be poured out. And she suspected that Lucifer wasn't all sex and booze and then some more sex.

    Though claiming that Lucifer wasn't hot or capable of making Annika's heart race would have been a lie, for sure.

    "Why, I'm the Devil, of course. Lucifer, duh. Don't let the lack of horns or tail fool you, darling", he responded with the obvious, indicating fake shock with a hand on his chest only to nudge Annika with his elbow a second later. "And there is no such thing as just you. But very well, I apologize. In my defense, though, I'm convinced I'm not the only one to mistake you for such a divine being", he continued with a voice that suggested beneath all that teasing rested good intentions, earning a grateful look from Annika.

    Unsure whether to believe him or not, Annika dropped her stare to her fingers and huffed. Of course, the man next to him being the actual Devil sounded impossible, but a part of her didn't want to question and doubt it. She wasn't naive, but something told her that she didn't need to question him on this — she could just let go for a little bit, and so, with a reinforced smile, she looked up at him and chose to believe that despite the relentless flirting and the ownership of a wild club, there was class in him.

    "So, the woman with the face of an angel waltzes into the bar of the Devil. Sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke", Annika pointed out and earned a genuine laugh from Lucifer while he took a sip of his own drink. Shrugging, he beamed down at her again and something in Annika shook when their eyes locked and they sat so close to each other, with an undeniable intimacy lingering in the air.

     "I suppose we'll have to play the scene out and see how it ends, darling."

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I'm so excited to write and share this book wOW. How do you guys like it (and Annoka) so far? (:

Update 09/04/2020: This book has now been rewritten, so the face claim for Annika is no longer Scarlett, and Myra's name is now Maeve! Most of the changes are minor but if you're suddenly confused about the subtle differences, that's why! x